[5.01] Investigating Temperatures and Variations in Equivalent Widths and V/R Ratios for Select Be Circumstellar Disks

G.M. Summers, K.S. Bjorkman (U. Toledo)

We have investigated variations within the V/R ratios of the
H-alpha profile for a set of Be circumstellar disks to
determine whether this changed periodically. We also looked
at the equivalent width variations for the same set to
determine whether they changed periodically. While for some
stars we found periodic variations, for others we found
none. Finally, as a part of the continuing investigation on
the nature of circumstellar disks, we used measurements of
optical and ultraviolet polarization to test models which
could indicate the temperature of the disk. As not all stars
have polarization in both optical and ultraviolet, we also
investigated whether it would be feasible to deduce
temperature using only optical polarization data. This
method seems reasonable, as tests indicate that temperatures
obtained using only optical data matched those obtained
using both optical and ultraviolet data.

GMS acknowledges support through the U. Toledo REU Program,
funded by NSF grant PHY-9731880. This work was supported in
part by NASA Grant NAG5-8054 to the University of Toledo,
and by a Cottrell Scholars Award to KSB from the Research
Corporation.